Tofu and Green Beans With Chile Crisp
I’ve been on a tofu and chile crisp kick lately, and this ridiculously easy recipe I adapted from NYT Cooking combined my two loves on one easy-to-clean sheet pan. The dish works well on its own but I like to round it out with brown rice, air-fried bell peppers and arugula with Mela’s lemon-herb dressing. If you haven’t yet tried chile crisp, prepare to become obsessed. Serves 4.
INGREDIENTS
3 Tablespoons chile-crisp condiment, plus more for serving
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
1½ Tablespoons Chinese black vinegar (I use1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar and 2 teaspoons soy sauce)
1½ teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon honey
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 Tablespoons chopped scallions
2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
1(14-ounce) package extra-firm tofu, drained
¾ pound green beans
1 Tablespoon neutral oil, like canola or grapeseed
Brown or white rice, for serving
PROCEDURE
Wrap the drained tofu in a clean kitchen towel, place on a plate and weight down with something heavy like a cast iron skillet filled with cans of food. Let sit for at least 10 and up to30 minutes. Slice the tofu crosswise into 8 (½-inch-thick) slabs.
Meanwhile, heat oven to 450 degrees. In a baking dish or casserole, whisk together the chile crisp, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, honey, garlic, ginger, scallions and cilantro.
Add the tofu slices to the dish, and coat them with the sauce, then allow to marinate for as long as it takes to heat the oven and trim the green beans.
Add the green beans to a large sheet pan, then drizzle the neutral oil on top and toss to coat. Slide the green beans to the sides of the pan, and arrange the slices of tofu in an even layer in the center of the pan. Pour remaining marinade over the tofu, and place in oven.
Roast until the green beans start to blister, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve immediately with rice and extra chile crisp on the side.